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> By Rabbi Paysach Krohn
>
> In the competitive world of the 1990's, one
> wonders whether the old adage still holds true:
> "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you
> play the game." The following true story
> illustrates the power of human concern - even in
> the face of intense competition.
>
> In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that
> caters to learning-disabled children. Some
> children remain in Chush for their entire school
> careers, while others can be mainstreamed into
> conventional Jewish schools. There are a few
> children who attend Chush for most of the week
> and go to a regular school on Sundays.
>
> At a Chush fund-raising dinner, the father of a
> Chush child delivered a speech that would never
> be forgotten by all who attended. After
> extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he
> cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son
> Shaya? Everything that God does is done with
> perfection. But my child cannot understand
> things as other children do. My child cannot
> remember facts and figures as other children do.
> Where is God's perfection?"
>
> The audience was shocked by the question, pained
> by the father's anguish, and stilled by his
> piercing query.
>
> "I believe," the father answered, "that when God
> brings a child like this into the world, the
> perfection that He seeks is in the way people
> react to this child."
>
> He then told the following story about his son
> Shaya:
>
> Shaya attends Chush throughout the week and a
> boy's yeshiva (Torah institute) on Sundays. One
> Sunday afternoon, Shaya and his father came to
> the yeshiva as his classmates were playing
> baseball. The game was in progress and as Shaya
> and his father made their way towards the
> ballfield, Shaya said, "Do you think you could
> get me into the game?"
>
> Shaya's father knew his son was not at all
> athletic, and that most boys would not want him
> on their team. But Shaya's father understood
> that if his son was chosen in, it would give him
> a comfortable sense of belonging.
>
> Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the
> field and asked, "Do you think my Shaya could
> get into the game?"
>
> The boy looked around for guidance from his
> teammates. Getting none, he took matters into
> his own hands and said, "We are losing by six
> runs and the game is already in the eighth
> inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll
> try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning."
>
> Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled
> broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go
> out to play short center field.
>
> In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaya's team
> scored a few runs but was still behind by three.
> In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya's team
> scored again - and now with two outs and the
> bases loaded and the potential winning runs on
> base, Shaya was scheduled to be up. Would the
> team actually let Shaya bat at this juncture and
> give away their chance to win the game?
>
> Surprisingly, Shaya was told to take a bat and
> try to get a hit. Everyone knew that it was all
> but impossible, for Shaya didn't even know how
> to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it.
> However as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the
> pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the ball in
> softly so Shaya should at least be able to make
> contact.
>
> The first pitch came in and Shaya swung clumsily
> and missed. One of Shaya's teammates came up to
> Shaya and together they held the bat and faced
> the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The
> pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss
> the ball softly towards Shaya.
>
> As the next pitch came in, Shaya and his
> teammate swung the bat and together they hit a
> slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher
> picked up the soft grounder and could easily
> have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shaya
> would have been out and that would have ended
> the game.
>
> Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it
> on a high arc to right field, far and wide
> beyond the first baseman's reach. Everyone
> started yelling, "Shaya, run to first! Shaya,
> run to first!" Never in his life had Shaya run
> to first.
>
> He scampered down the baseline wide eyed and
> startled. By the time he reached first base, the
> right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown
> the ball to the second baseman who would tag out
> Shaya, who was still running. But the
> rightfielder understood what the pitcher's
> intentions were, so he threw the ball high and
> far over the third baseman's head, as everyone
> yelled, "Shaya, run to second! Shaya, run to
> second."
>
> Shaya ran towards second base as the runners
> ahead of him deliriously circled the bases
> towards home. As Shaya reached second base, the
> opposing shortstop ran towards him, turned him
> towards the direction of third base and shouted,
> "Shaya, run to third!"
>
> As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams
> ran behind him screaming, "Shaya, run home!
> Shaya, run home!"
>
> Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18
> boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him
> the hero, as he had just hit the "grand slam"
> and won the game for his team.
>
> "That day," said the father who now had tears
> rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached
> their level of perfection. They showed that it
> is not only those who are talented that should
> be recognized, but also those who have less
> talent. They too are human beings, they too
> have feelings and emotions, they too are people,
> they too want to feel important.
Thanks, Jenn!

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